I was going through a box of cards, trying to decide what needed to stay and what needed to go. In the stack of catchers, I came across a card that at first glance was of little consequence. Upon turning it over, however, I become intrigued by not only the card, but also the player.

Jamie Burke ended up playing on four teams over the course of eight seasons, officially taking part in 191 games. These would not be interesting numbers when viewed alone. Certainly, we could say that his career was a disappointment. What did earn my pique my interest was his age when he made the opening day roster.

At 35, Jamie finally was part of an Opening Day Ceremony. Could you imagine struggling through a decade and a half of minor league seasons in hopes of making the major league roster? There is something to be said for a player that sticks with his dream for that long, especially a catcher.

He first made it to the Show in 2001 at the age of 29. He played a part in 9 games for the Angels. Two years later, he was back in the big league for 6 games, this time with the White Sox.

In total, Burke played in 191 games over the course of 8 seasons, spending time with 4 teams: Angels, White Sox, Mariners, and Nationals. His numbers weren’t great: .277/.328/.351 with 3 HR’s and 39RBI’s.